The Reader

Taman Seri Empangan

At night,this is one of the many beautiful places to take photos.This is also where cycle at night as well during day time.The gazebos are used for family picnics.Last Saturday night my cycling group had our anniversary dinner at Labyrinth Restaurant at the complex.

 

We also walk...

To keep us fit and healthy,we also walk...The photo shows our cycling group who decided to walk their cycling trail around The Core Island of Putrajaya.We came with our family members and friends...From my personal experience,I expend more energy during my walk than in my cycling for the distance and walking at slowewr speed,I see more things along the trail..

By the way ,as we walk ,we talk and snap photos..

Another walk along Jalan Bukit Bintang

As I approached Lot 10,I saw four tourists taking photos of this side entrance to Lot 10 as shown in the photo above.So I stopped and joined them with my camera phone.After taking the photo,I entered and expected a cozy food court like a few years back.To my suprise,it has turned into a Chinese food stalls night market style food court.Immediately,I looked for exit and walked to Sg Wang shopping complex.

Lot 10 was one of the premier shopping complexes in the 90's but now new ones are taking place in the CBD as well as in Bangsar and Damansara.One of the subjects of my professional interests is managing shopping complexes and when I go shopping,I take notes of what the management is doing and learn the good and the bad ways from their actions and practice..

Since I am now working part time with less income,I cannot afford to shop at Suria KLCC and Pavilion so my next alternatives are at The Curve  and Alamanda in Putrajaya.

Wakaf

The above is one of most beautiful wakaf I have seen located at Taman Saujana Hijau,P11 Putrajaya.Some called them gazebo.There are so many of them provided for by the government but the public has made very little use of them.Are wakaf out dated or irrelevant?Your views ,please.By the way,here is a photo where my friends had morning coffee at Taman Tasik Cempaka,Bangi,Selangor.

In the mid 70's when I travelled from Kota Bharu to KL,I have to stop for my rest or luch at some wakaf along the highway.Nowadays, travellers have better choices at R&R.Way back in 60's I remember one wakaf in the middle of padi fields where my kampung folks take a rest,had their meals and did their solat.Nowadays,they can reurn home by motor cycles.

Just go to the garden of KLCC or a few gardens in Putrajaya.They have plenty of wakaf.Sadly,our locals seldom make use of them and most of the time they were used by the foreign workers.Some months back,my riding group held our picnic in one of these wakaf.

Note: I have taken photos of some wakaf.Here is the link.

Public surveillance?

This photo was taken at the back fo Masjid Sultan Mizan,Putrajaya.It has a camera and a loudspeaker.The location is well lighted at night.It is my favourite place to do my warm up before I go cycling or walking.Why?The sounds of waterfall nearby is music to my ears..

Some people think this is an act of intrusion into people privacy.I agree when everyone behave properly but considering the global indecent behaviours ,thefts and vandalism,I agree to have more of these surveillance equipments.We can save a lot of millions if everyone believe and fear God,but for the moment we have to have these 'eyes' all over the place.

What do you think?

I love potluck picnic..

After our cycling at Taman Botani,we had our Potluck Party at Pusat Rekreasi Air,Putrajaya with my riding friends and their family members..We exercised in a group, we shared our food we brought from our homes and we had great conversations! I could not ask for more..Thank you Allah for this opportunity to enrich my life with my friends.

As we cycled ,a friend who used to stay overseas told me that cycling in Putrajaya is better than in Europe except for the hot weather.As for me who could not afford a regular overseas holidays, this is the best my money can buy.It is free..It is there but many had chosen to ignore it and let it passes away.

Once the water in the river passes by us,it will go to the sea and we could never get the same water again no matter how long we keep waiting..

 

Banner slasher!

A few days ago,I read about a mysterious banner slasher in Bangsar.I thought it was done by a vigilante who got fed with DBKL who failed to keep the town clean from unauthorised and irritating banners hanging from lamp posts,traffic light posts and anything these irresponsible people who just wanted to advertise their products.Later,it was discovered that the banner slasher was an insane person.I just love to hire that guy to come to Bandar Baru Bangi.Some of the advertisement on 'tenaga batin' here are very vulgar.

I just wonder what the local council is doing?We call this department as Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan but the way I see it,it is pihak tidak berkuasa(kuasa ada tapi tiada upaya).It is free for all and sundry...

My residence area is semi gated.I am lucky that every time some people come to hang their banners, our guards will just pull them down.

The beauty of simplicity..

The beauty of simplicity in whatever we do-even at iftar!We managed to successfully complicate our lives with so many of our desires that we actually don't need at all.Later on, we are left with the headaches of paying the bills and taking care of them.My rich Dato' friend has five cars in his garage.He told me every morning ,he got problem which car to drive?I told him,"Why not you give me your Jaguar?".He replied,"That one,cannot! Very nostalgic for me?".C'est la vie..Here is my simplicity.

Chocolate lovers..

Just sharing some info among fellow chocolate lovers.The address is No 8,Jalan 9/1,Seksyen 9,Bandar Baru Bangi.I almost can smell it from my kitchen;-)

Disclaimers: I have no commercial interests in the company and 'sadly' I am not being paid to do this promotion.Since I love chocolate,I am seriously considering to be a chocolate distributor.At least I can make some money while enjoying my passion;-)

Cafe with food and drinks but no culture?

As I was moving up on the escalator,I saw this nice view of a group of men having drinks at 0'Briens-my favourite cafe.I got nothing against Starbuck if someone would take me  and pay for my drink but given the choice I prefer O'Briens for the coffee and the sandwiches. 

My first encounter with high cost kedaikopi(coffe shop) was at Delifrance located next to The Tangs Orchard Rd ,Singapore in late 80's. In the 90's, the cafe phenomena invaded Kuala lumpur and today you can see them every where, including kopitiam.

As a frequent visitor to cafes and kopitiam,I have yet to see the cafe culture.What I saw was the nicely decorated places where people who have more money to spend come for a snack and casual chat and business discussion,then off they go.With the local wifi, I saw more and more people are working online or just surfing the Internet with their laptops.And that is our Malaysian cafe culture!

By the way I hosted a Deep Conversation session in march,2004.

You can read more about World Cafe here.I tried to take do something similar but it failed to take off.Now, my priority has changed as I am approaching my golden age.

Below is what I wrote more than 10 years ago in my alumni mailinglist list.

Date:	Sat, 05 Jun 1999 23:15:34 +0100
From:	"a.d.i.b" <adib@pc.jaring.my>  Add to Address Book
To:	sdara@egroups.com
Subject:	[sdar] Best Cafe in Town

ASM sdara,

Most of us  frequent a few TT(teh tarik) stalls and some who have more money to
spend will frequent a few coffee houses at a few hotels or cafe/tea
outlets.In Melawati,we used to go to Restoran Nora;in Desa Pandan we
used to have TT at D'Taj and a few months back a sdara gathering
arranged by Ampangbear,we have coffee at San Francisco coffee outlet at
Ampang Points.Lately,Bond told me Starbuck coffee has opened an outlet
at KL Plaza.It is observed that the cafe culture is invading us in all
major and small towns all over Malaysia.And Teh Tarik is now our
national pastime?

Please give your views on this cafe culture and at the same time please
also suggest the best cafe/TT stalls just in case some of us happen to
visit your place or the places you have been-local or overseas.




Best regards,
-/a.d.i.b/-
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and
the last fish been caught,will we realise that we can not eat
money".-Cree Indian saying.